Connect the Dots

About this book

Liar & Spy meets The Parker Inheritance in this whimsically complex story about human connection and the power we all have to determine our own fate.

Is there anything more random than middle school? Sixth graders Oliver and Frankie don't think so. Their first few weeks have been full of weirdness -- lunchtime thievery, free beef jerky, and Matilda, the mysterious new girl who knows everything about them, but has a lot to learn about making friends.

But what if none of it is random at all? What if a reclusive genius is keeping an eye on them and making sure the tiny pieces of his puzzle fall into place, one by one, until strange, seemingly unconnected incidents snowball totally out of control? Imagine the odds! First a cardamom shortage takes down the school bully. Then a giant dog leads to some extracurricular spying. Soon Oliver is being followed and Matilda is hacking the FBI. And by the time they discover a gang of angry clowns and the world's largest game of Mousetrap, an insanely brilliant plan has been set in motion that will change their lives forever.

Connect the Dots is an intricately plotted story about the power of human connection and a chain of "coincidences" so serendipitous they must be destiny at work.

Reviews

Praise for Connect the Dots:

* "There are plenty of surprises in this caper with heart." - Kirkus Reviews, starred review

"Witty, assured, and full of heart, this book...is all sorts of fun." -- Wall Street Journal

"Readers will enjoy this tale of adventure and friendship." - School Library Journal

Praise for A Drop of Hope:

"A promising first novel that delivers its own measure of hope." -- Booklist

"A story of friendship, character, and believing in good." -- School Library Connection

"Every so often -- though not very often -- a book comes along that reminds us of what we are capable of as human beings. It reminds us that we can be kind. It reminds us that we can create. It reminds us that we really can grow into our best selves. And it does all this with a story that startles us with the absolute conviction that we are connected in ways whose complexities we can never fully know. This is one of those books." -- Gary D. Schmidt, Newbery Honor winner and author of Okay for Now

"Keith Calabrese has given us more than a drop of hope in this endearing novel; Ernest and Ryan and Lizzy not only make me want to move to the town of Cliffs Donnelly, their story has renewed my faith in humanity." -- Kirby Larson, Newbery Honor-winning author of Hattie Big Sky

"A Drop of Hope is a rapid-fire novel, wishing-well deep and rich with relatable characters all discovering that forging strong friendships, families, and communities takes hard work, empathy, and just a little bit of luck." -- John David Anderson, author of Mrs. Bixby's Last Day and Posted